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The Château-Going Begins

We couldn’t resist.

We had resolved that our château-going wouldn’t begin until we reached the Loire Valley, where we planned to unleash our energy, enthusiasm, and admission dollars. In that enchanted land of lavish castles, we had old favorites to return to and a lengthy list of new places to seek out.

And yet there we were, heading through the countryside in France’s Poitou-Charentes region a few hours south of the Loire Valley. All it took was a recommendation from an area resident and a glance at a glossy brochure flaunting a large, exquisite-looking castle accented with round, turreted towers and a sprawling formal garden at its feet. We were in the car faster than you can say magnifique.

A castle, of course

This isn’t a museum. It’s someone’s home. Castle upkeep isn’t cheap, and some owners, like those at the Château de la Roche Courbon, open their doors to tourists eager to have a look inside.

The château dates from the 15th century, originally built with defense in mind. 200 years later it was embellished to make it more of a genteel residence than a fortification. The château was later abandoned and sank into disrepair, inspiring poet Pierre Loti to plead for someone with deep pockets to buy and restore it, asking: “Who wants to save from the death sentence a forest with its feudal castle in its midst?” Loti’s friend Paul Chénereau answered the call, and it’s his descendants who live there today.

We can’t show you the château’s interior because of the stingy, no-photos-inside policy. But here’s a peek at the highlight. This painted, paneled room shows off murals of Hercules and other mythological figures, along with a more unusual feature: a bathtub tucked into an alcove.

Romantic gardens

The French know how to do gardens.

A double half-turn staircase cascades from the château down to the grandiose greenery, listed by the French Ministry of Culture as one of the country’s “Gardens of Note.” More of a park, the sculpted acreage has an avenue lined with lime trees, statues, a stone dais, and a pond in the center that mirrors the chateau.

Prehistoric caves

Prehistoric caves aren’t a typical find at a château. But there they were, a series of grottoes sunken into the foot of a limestone cliff. The caves, dating to the Old Stone Age, are reached by a woodland walk on the Château de la Roche Courbon’s grounds.